GAME ART BASICS
BEGIN YOUR TECH ART JOURNEYÂ
Every Tech Art Career Starts with a Game-Ready Prop
As a technical artist, you need to understand how game assets are made before you can build tools, write shaders, or solve pipeline challenges. Learning how to create a game-ready prop gives you the foundation to support artists and speak their language.
In Game Art Basics, you’ll learn the core principles of modeling, sculpting, texturing, and rendering for real-time engines. This will set you up for more advanced technical work later in the Tech Art Program. The most important thing you’ll learn in this course is how to take an asset through a real production workflow—from concept to final render.
12 WEEK COURSEÂ
$2,499 /USDÂ
Payment Plans Available
START THE WEEK OF
AUGUST 18, 2025Â
GET MENTORED BY INDUSTRYÂ EXPERTS
At Vertex School, you’ll be mentored by industry professionals who work at top studios like CD Projekt Red, Ubisoft, and Playground Games. Your journey begins with Game Art Basics, where you’ll build the essential skills needed to thrive in tech art. This is term I of our Tech Art Program.Â
Crystal Bretz
Lead Modeller atÂ
FramestoreÂ
PROJECTS:
Black Panther, Spiderman: No Way Home, The Willoughbys, For All Mankind
Stefan Oprisan
Ex-Senior Material Artist at
Ubisoft
PROJECTS:
Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora, Forza Horizon 4, Planet Zoo
Marcin Klicki
Senior Character Artist atÂ
CD Projekt Red
PROJECTS:
Cyberpunk 2077, The Witcher 3, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, The Witcher 3: Hearts of Stone
CHOOSE YOUR MENTOR
Once you've applied, been accepted, and enrolled at Vertex School, you can choose your mentor.
REGISTRATION IS OPEN FROM
JULY 10, 2025 - AUGUST 17, 2025
REGISTER NOWWHERE OUR STUDENTS GET JOBS
PERSONALIZED MENTORSHIP
At Vertex School, you’ll learn directly from professionals who work at top studios like CD Projekt Red and Playground Games.
They’re passionate about helping the next generation of technical artists build a strong foundation. In this course, you’ll learn directly from your mentor in live sessions as they share how studios create game assets and what makes an artist stand out.
Your mentor will work closely with you throughout the term, offering weekly feedback and guidance to help you improve your modeling, sculpting, texturing, and rendering skills.
STUDIO-LEVEL TOOLS AND ASSETS
We train our students to work the way studios do, so you’re ready to jump into production when the time comes. From the start, you’ll use industry-standard tools like ZBrush, Substance Painter, and Unreal Engine to create game-ready assets.
You’ll follow real-world workflows to build high-res sculpts, bake low-poly models, create believable materials, and render assets in real-time engines. This hands-on, practical training sets the stage for the more technical skills you’ll develop in later terms.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS FOR GAME ART BASICS
COURSE DETAILS
LIVE Q&As | Weekly 2-Hour Q&As
LECTURESÂ |Â 12 Pre-recorded Lectures
ASSIGNMENTSÂ |Â 6 Exercises
SOFTWAREÂ |Â 3D Modeling Software (Maya Preferred), Substance Painter, ZBrush, Marmoset Toolbag, Unreal Engine
HARDWAREÂ |Â Meet Minimum Requirements
AGEÂ |Â 18 Years or Older
LANGUAGEÂ |Â Taught in English
SKILLS YOU NEED BEFORE YOU START
No experience is needed to join Game Art Basics. When you enroll, you'll get access to a pre-course designed to teach you the basics of 3D modeling, so you can hit the ground running.
Whether you're just starting out or already have some experience, this course is built to support motivated learners.
WHAT YOU'LL LEARN
At the start of your tech art journey, you’ll build a strong foundation in the tools, workflows, and artistic principles used in real game studios. This course is designed to help you understand how game assets are created and prepared for real-time engines—essential knowledge for any Technical Artist. In this course, you will:
- Learn the fundamentals of 3D modeling and how assets are built for real-time pipelines
- Create a high-resolution model and prepare it for baking and texturing
- Develop clean, game-ready low-poly models with efficient UVs
- Understand how to create believable materials using PBR workflows in Substance Painter
- Practice digital sculpting in ZBrush to control shape and form
- Explore lighting basics and how to render assets in Marmoset and Unreal Engine
- Complete a final capstone project—from concept to real-time render—for your portfolio
Vertex School Pricing Plans
Pay in installments or pay in full
Vertex School offers payment plans that allow students to distribute the $2,499 USD tuition into flexible payments.Â
Pay in full
$2,499
LOWEST POSSIBLE PRICE
3 monthly payments
$916
BILLED MONTHLY
6 monthly payments
$479
BILLED MONTHLY
FAQ FOR GAME ART BASICS
What software and hardware do I need?
What software and hardware do I need?
How long will I have access to the bootcamp?
How long will I have access to the bootcamp?
Can I be located anywhere?
Can I be located anywhere?
How do I receive project feedback?
How do I receive project feedback?
Are there any pre-requisites?
Are there any pre-requisites?
Do I get a certificate of completion?
Do I get a certificate of completion?
RELATED COURSES
If you're interested in tech art, we think you'll love these courses! Our Core Tech Art Courses provide a great foundation in tech art and will help prepare you for a career in the industry.Â
Blueprints - Introduction to Programming
12-WEEK COURSEÂ
Learn to think like a programmer.
Shaders -Â Creating Art with Math
12-WEEK COURSEÂ
Bring your art to life with shaders.
Advanced Unreal Concepts
12-WEEK COURSEÂ
Multiply efficiency with tools and systems.
Python - Your First Programming Language
12-WEEK COURSEÂ
Automate and build real-world tools.
Unlock Your Path - Choose and Build Your Future
12-WEEK COURSEÂ
Specialize and showcase your strengths.
WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SAYING
Heather Geiger
"What really stood out to me was the community and mentorship.
Being surrounded by other aspiring artists and getting direct feedback from pros in the industry helped me improve faster than I thought possible."
Maria Fola
"Vertex School gave me the structure and mentorship I needed to seriously grow my skills.
The mentors were all working professionals who understood exactly what studios are looking for, and they helped me build confidence in my abilities. I went from feeling lost to knowing exactly how to move forward as an artist."
Giancarlo Aberilla
"The experience at Vertex was incredibly rewarding. The lessons were well-paced and flexible enough to fit around my job.
What stood out most was the level of support—my mentors were patient, insightful, and always willing to answer questions. It was life-changing."
Amanda Fedora
"I started out knowing almost nothing about 3D art, but with the guidance and feedback from Vertex mentors, I created my first complete scene.
The program is definitely beginner-friendly and focused on real, practical skills."
Rodin Abengana
"Vertex doesn’t waste your time with unnecessary content. Everything is focused on helping you build the skills studios care about.
The mentorship and hands-on learning made it easier to stay motivated and make real progress."
Samyak Jain
"As someone just getting started in 3D, I appreciated how approachable Vertex made everything.
The content, the support, and the ability to learn from actual industry artists made a huge difference. I came away with skills I’m proud of—and excited to keep building on."
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